Conference quark::mennotes-v1

Who cares. It's not an issue and it's none of our business.

    Yeah, I agree.  Why dont people just leave her alone....dont they
    have enough of their own problems to make problems for someone who's
    business is none of theirs anyway ????  Doesn't anybody have anything
    better to do than to try and figure out who the father is ???  Give
    me a break...
    
    Kim
    
    

    I believe an article which appeared in the Globe several weeks ago
    mentioned that the father doesn't live in this area, so the publicity
    (or lack thereof) shouldn't affect him one way or the other. 

    I think a lot of fuss has been raised about it because everyone
    is saying "well, it doesn't bother ME, but surely there must be
    SOMEONE it upsets!"  So far, that does not seem to be the case.
    
    But such is life; our society imposes a double standard on "public
    figures".  If Liz was an actress, nobody would give it a second
    thought.  As a newscaster, she is somehow supposed to be "above
    that".  Yeesh!
    
    I think Liz Walker is a fine role model (as a well-respected
    newscaster who also happens to be female and black), and the rest
    of the news people should wipe the foam out of their mouths.
    
    					Steve

    For Suzanne and the others not lucky (?) enough to live in the New
    England area:
    
    Liz Walker is an intelligent, articulate, witty, warm, compassionate,
    honest, insightful newscaster for one of the Boston area TV stations
    (and it should be pointed out that I seldom say anything nice about
    people who do TV news).  She is also, as Steve's note mentions, single,
    female, and black. Hundreds of New England girls (and boys) want to
    grow up to be like Liz Walker. 
    
    The opinion of most people I've talked to appears to be that if
    Liz Walker is doing it, it must be all right.  
    
    There also seems to be an undercurrent of longing for a perfect
    fairy-tale ending -- here's this lovely lady who everybody wants to see
    happy, so they want to see the father come out of the woodwork or
    California or whatever and sweep her off into the sunset in his white
    Charger (or Mustang GT?) so they can live happily ever after with the
    public watching through the picture windows. 

    --bonnie

    there's another thing I like about her.  The woman is not only
    intelligent, warm, witty, black, and a newscaster, but she is also
    BIG.  She's 6' tall and can't be smaller'n a size 16.  Go Liz!
    
    -Jody
    

    
    
    	"Way to go Liz! Best of luck for you and the baby!" is all I
    	have to say.
    
    							mike

    
    
    I agree with most here. I wish her luck. The rest is none of my
    business. It also doesn't matter to me that she's a woman, black
    or single, or whatever else can be used to label her. She does a
    good job (in my own opinion), seems like a fine person.
    

    I think it's silly to be concerned only whether Liz is single or
    not.  The stigma attached to "out of wedlock" babies was that the
    mother was typically unable to support herself and the child - in
    years gone by, men supported the women financially.  (Yes, of course
    there were exceptions, but that was the rule.)
    
    Liz is perfectly capable of supporting herself and her child, and
    thus there's no real problem.  Contrast this with the typical
    teenage mother who instantly goes on welfare when she has a baby.
    How can one possibly consider these two situations as related?
    
    Another way of looking at it - what would people think if Liz
    was married when the baby was born, but got divorced the next day.
    What difference does it make in the baby's life?
    
    I presume that the father is interested and will be involved in
    the child's life, though that is not a requirement by any means.
    
    I wish Liz all the best, including a healthy baby.
    
    					Steve

    It may be silly to be concerned whether a baby is born out of wedlock,
    but a great many people are silly on this subject. 
    
    I know; I've been there. I can't say that either Kathy or I was ever
    exactly stigmatized, but we were criticized, and it isn't any fun.
    
    But I'm sure Ms. Walker will handle it like the classy lady that
    she is.
    
    --bonnie 
    

First, Gary Hart's private life is exposed to such an extent that he 
drops out of the race for president.  Then, Stewart McKinney (R, CT) 
dies of AIDS and his homosexual behavior is exposed.  Then, Barney 
Frank (D, MASS) decides that it is best to tell the world that he is 
gay before some nosey reporter cashes in on the fact.  Then, all of 
Eastern Massachusetts is speculating as to the father of Liz Walker's 
baby, and wondering what kind of role model she is.  This morning I 
heard on the radio that there are rumors that George Bush has has a 
long-term extra-marital affair.

Barney Frank was right when he said this is turning into the Year of 
the Crotch.


					--Gerry

    It doesn't matter to me, who is the father of her baby.  That is
    her business.  All I hope for, for any woman is that the baby is
    healthy and happy. The rest of the hoopla is just that a storm in
    a teacup.

    She is giving a pretty good message to the teenage black community.
    Be responsible for your own actions, don't take on anything you
    can't handle, establish yourself in a career that will support your
    personal decisions.  I hope her child brings her as much happiness
    as mine have brought to me.  Children can be wonderful.

    	couple of questions that come to mind for me...maybe irrelevent
    
    	Would you like to know your father? ...don't care?
    
    	As a very visible and influential member of the Boston community
    	Liz is gonna take a lot of heat...will it damage her
    	reputation? I'm sure it has already. I'm also sure it
    	surprised other members of the WBZ evening news although
    	they would never admit it.
    
    	I personally like her very much as a personality and as
    	a professional newsperson.
    
    	RE:.19 Children can be wonderful...so can parents. I wonder
    	How Liz' child will assume that load. I have every reason
        to be proud of my gang and I hope they have every reason to
    	be proud of me.....that is if they know who I am.
    
    				___GM___

    	Ms Walker's decision to have a child out of wedlock is none of
    my business, or the business of anyone else save the child's biological
    father - in my opinion.  I am not impressed with Ms Walker's abilities
    as a news reader but so what!  I am curious about the long term
    effects on our society of the number of single parent children,
    as a result of divorce, death or the choice to be a single parent.
    The effects may be positive they may be negative they may be nothing
    more than we have expereinced with the traditional two parent children.
    Though logic suggests the latter will not be the case since a major
    change, in general, should have some differing impact.
           
    	No insights from me!
    Douglas

    When I got divorced over ten years ago the studies all said that
    children from single parent homes were at risk, had more problems
    emotionally, etc.  Today the studies lean the other way.  They say
    that children from single parent homes are stronger, more independent,
    more self-sufficient and have more self-confidence.  To be honest,
    I don't pay too much more attention to studies today either.
    To me, the REAL impact on society will be from the thousands of
    Day Care Kids (who are from both single parent AND traditional homes)
    who were virtually raised by people who take care of children for
    a living.  How will these kids relate to the traditional family
    in the years to come?  I realize that so many of our kids our in
    day care because our society is such that most people need two incomes
    to get by.  But I can't help but wonder....

On the topic:

I think that this topic has gotten more discussion than it should.  While some 
have brought out points, like "what about the father?", most have said  
something like "It's none of our business" or "It's not an issue".  If it's 
not an issue, then I don't see why we need to keep commenting.  If it IS and 
issue, then let's determine what the issue is, and discuss it.

It reminds me of:

	-  when political candidates running  against Ted Kennedy would say
	   "Chappaquiddick is not and issue, Chappaquiddick is not and issue, 
	   Chappaquiddick is not and issue, Chappaquiddick is not and issue",
	   thereby making Chappaquiddick an issue.

	-  when a gossipy person says "Of course it's none of my business,
	   but ..." thereby making it their business

Off the topic:
re: .23

>    To me, the REAL impact on society will be from the thousands of
>    Day Care Kids (who are from both single parent AND traditional homes)
>    who were virtually raised by people who take care of children for
>    a living.  

I agree with you that this is an important topic, probably more appropriate 
for PARENTING.  In fact, you will find a lot of discussion there already, on 
all sides of the issue.

I do object to the way you phrased the question; I felt that is judgmental 
and conclusory to use the term "were virtually raised".  I'd feel better if 
you substituted "spent a lot of time being cared for".

I've observed hundreds of kids in day care, including my own.  I've yet to 
see one who confused "Auntie X" for Mommy or Daddy, or who confused "Happy 
Acres" for home.

Clay

    The fact that Ms. Walker decided to keep her baby implies to me
    that she went through a thought process weighing the alternatives.
    Had she chosen abortion or a forced marriage, people would have
    yapped their mouths off about that as well. Frankly the whole the
    d*mn thing has been given too much publicity...I'm not so lofty
    as to criticize how an apparently responsible person exercises her
    right of freedom of choice.
    
    Ann